By Mitch Phillips
ZHANGJIAKOU, China (Reuters) – World champion Laura Peel of Australia impressively led the way in qualifying for the Olympic freestyle skiing women’s aerials as all the favourites progressed to the final to be held at the Genting Snow Park later on Monday.
Peel posted a huge score of 104.54 in the first round of a qualifying competition that was postponed from Sunday because of heavy snow.
American Ashley Caldwell, still on a high from her mixed team gold on Thursday, was next best on 101.31, with China’s Sochi silver medallist and current World Cup leader Xu Mengtao on 101.10 – the only other athlete to top the 100 point mark.
Defending champion Hanna Huskova of Belarus was also among the six to progress from the first round of qualifying, held under bright sun and clear, blue skies.
China’s Pyeongchang bronze medallist Kong Fanyu had a poor landing to finish ninth, but that score of 83.78 eventually proved good enough to allow her to progress as one of the next-best six after the second qualifying round.
Megan Nick and Kaila Kuhn also went through via the second round, to give the United States three women in the two-round final, which begins at 1900 local time (1100GMT).
(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Shri Navaratnam)
